No wonder that Footsy -with it’s devilishly cute sock designs and fun spirit- is a brand after our own heart! We spoke with Seema Seth- one of the cofounders of Footsy about her sock inspirations, what it takes to run a fledgling e-commerce brand in India and who she would like to see in her lovely socks some day!

The First Step

It all began with an idea- Seema wondered why there weren’t any designer socks in the market. She talked to her long time friend Pooja Mehta and the two believed there was the kernel of a business idea there. In their ‘day jobs’ , Seema is a graphic designer with her own successful businesswhile Pooja is a full time Design Manager. Before they knew it, they were just propelled along this line of thought by a strong desire to do something ‘fun’ and ‘new’. Seema says that the business evolved almost spontaneously, and within 6 months of articulating their idea, they had their online storefront in place!

Getting a Foot in the Door

Pooja and Seema didn’t have a manufacturing or design background before they launched Footsy, though Seema does bring in her colour and design aesthetic into the venture. Everything was a challenge- right from identifying manufacturers, to convincing them that ‘yes- this fluorescent neon pink thread does have a place in sock design’- to calculating just how much import tax needed to be paid for the latest consignment of international socks they’d ordered. But the girls have enjoyed this madcap journey so far (they’ve just completed two years!); and have built a brand that’s just as unique and vibrant as their personalities. The initial pairs of socks were sold almost entirely through word of mouth. But today, they also have a strong online footprint-especially on Facebook- that keeps their devout customer community engaged (and warm-toed).

Remember how no one else could fit into Cinderella’s slippers but for her? In the same way, the girls have a sock for every kind of foot. They store an interesting variety of international brands- many of them available for the first time in India – and also design a new exclusive collection of their own every season.

Stocking up for every season!

Interestingly, (and some of our North Indian readers may scoff at the idea), socks are not just a winter product! Footsy does see a spike in sales in the colder months but a lot of their customers buy a pair (or more) for every season. College students seem to gravitate towards the bright visuals and graphics, every one needs a pair of cheery gym socks that actually makes you want to get moving, and Footsy is surprisingly popular with the menfolk who believe it adds a certain panache and dash of colour to their otherwise drab office wear.

The Next Step?

Seema-who cites Pantone, Mujiand Uniqlo as some of the brands that inspire her-can’t wait to take Footsy to greater heights! Up next are new collections, a new line of yoga socks , pajamas and leggings, and a closely-held dream to have Ranbir Kapoor wear one of their creations one day (he’s apparently a known sockaholic).

Putting Their Best Foot Forward

If you’re not sure that you need a pair of Footsy socks in your life, Seema suggests beginning with one of the following pairs:

and the International brand Happy Socks- thats full of whimsy and colour and guaranteed to get people staring down at your feet when talking to you!!

Dinner for Two?

If Seema could have dinner with a celebrity (living or dead) she’d choose Chris Martin because she loves his music so much. (We hope- for her sake- that the dinner is not one prepared by Martin’s partner Goop who will insist on minuscule macrobiotic travesties!)

Here’s wishing her and Pooja all the best with their venture and encouraging you to step into their store pronto!